- The Pirates and Mitch Keller had several discussions about a contract extension last season, and Keller is “really looking forward” to a fresh set of negotiations this spring. “Going through arbitration and stuff, [the two sides are] obviously talking. Hopefully it’ll pick up, and we’ll get something going,” Keller told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Keller is under arbitration control through the 2025 season, and the right-hander has emerged as the de facto ace of the Pirates’ rotation over the last two seasons.
Pirates Rumors
Pirates Sign Chase Anderson To Minor League Deal
The Pirates have signed Chase Anderson to a minors contract, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray (X link). The veteran right-hander will receive an invitation to Pittsburgh’s big league Spring Training camp.
Anderson pitched for three different organizations in 2023, beginning when he signed a minor league deal with the Reds last offseason. Cincinnati traded Anderson to Tampa in May before he could enact an out clause in his contract (since hadn’t yet been placed on the active roster), and Anderson made two relief appearances for the Rays before he was designated for assignment and then claimed off waivers by the pitching-needy Rockies.
The result was a 5.42 ERA over 86 1/3 innings in 2023, with all but five of those frames coming in a Rox uniform for the right-hander. Anderson didn’t provide much in the way of results for Colorado and he missed around six weeks due to shoulder inflammation, but he at least ate some innings for a Rockies team desperate to find any healthy starters for any period of time.
The Pirates’ pitching situation isn’t as dire as Colorado’s, yet the Bucs are heading into 2024 with a lot of questions in their rotation. Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales were acquired as bounce-back candidates, joining Mitch Keller and a host of younger and more unproven rotation candidates. Rumors continue to swirl that Pittsburgh might yet bolster its rotation with a more higher-profile starter, but adding a veteran depth starter like Anderson is standard operation procedure for any team heading into Spring Training.
As he enters his age-36 season, Anderson is getting further and further away from his prime years with the Diamondbacks and Brewers. Anderson posted a solid 3.94 ERA over 857 innings (starting 160 of 166 games) from 2014-19, but the last four years have been a major struggle. Since the start of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Anderson has only a 6.19 ERA in 192 innings for five different teams at the Major League level. Should he appear in a big league game with his new team, the Pirates will be the eighth different club of Anderson’s 11 MLB seasons.
MLBTR Podcast: Jorge Soler, Veteran Catcher Signings and the Padres’ Payroll Crunch
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Giants to sign Jorge Soler (1:25)
- The Brewers to sign Gary Sánchez (11:15)
- The Pirates to sign Yasmani Grandal (18:55)
- The Padres to sign Jurickson Profar (23:35)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Which teams do you think have a chance to exceed expectations this year like the Diamondbacks and Reds did last year? (26:00)
- Matt Chapman to the Cubs for one year and $27MM plus a $30MM mutual option for 2025 with a $3MM buyout, who says no? (30:40)
- Does Carlos Santana make the Twins better? (34:00)
Check out our past episodes!
- The Sale of the Orioles, Corbin Burnes Traded and Bobby Witt Jr. Extended – listen here
- The Jorge Polanco Trade, Rhys Hoskins and the Blue Jays’ Plans – listen here
- The Broadcasting Landscape, Josh Hader and the Relief Market – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Pirates Still Discussing Rotation Trades With Marlins, Exploring Free Agency
The Pirates have added Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales to their rotation this winter but remain in active pursuit of at least one more starter, reports Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Bucs are in ongoing trade discussions with multiple clubs, including the Marlins, and are still showing interest in various free agents, per Mackey. FanSided’s Robert Murray also wrote this morning, after the Bucs signed Josh Fleming, that Pittsburgh is still active on both the trade and free agent markets.
Miami has reportedly entertained interest in starters Edward Cabrera, Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett at various points this offseason. Ballyhooed right-hander Eury Perez, who impressed with a 3.15 ERA through 91 1/3 innings as a 20-year-old rookie in 2023, is widely considered to be off limits.
Of the other Miami arms, Cabrera has generally been considered the “most” available. The 6’5″ 25-year-old is a former top-tier prospect himself but has dealt with command troubles through his first year-plus of big league service time and has not yet as established as the other three hurlers in question. Mackey indeed suggests that Cabrera is the likeliest target, reporting that a deal between the Bucs and the Fish would likely include an infielder such as Liover Peguero, Nick Gonzales or Ji Hwan Bae.
Each of those three have varying levels of trade value themselves. Peguero has garnered the most prospect fanfare of the group but struggled in a 59-game MLB debut last year, hitting .237/.280/.374 in 213 plate appearances. Gonzales is a former No. 7 overall pick and top-100 prospect, but Baseball America now lists him ninth among Pittsburgh minor leaguers. Bae is another once-well-regarded prospect but exhausted his rookie eligibility last year with a tepid .231/.296/.311 showing through 371 plate appearances. All three are middle infielders, though Gonzales and Bae are considered limited to second base (and, in Bae’s case, the outfield).
Any member of that trio would figure to be just one of several pieces going to Miami, should a deal come together. Though Cabrera himself has some questions about his lackluster command, he’s still performed far better in the majors than any of those Pittsburgh infielders, and controllable young pitching is typically the most difficult type of asset to acquire.
Since making his big league debut in 2021, Cabrera has pitched 197 2/3 innings of 4.01 ERA ball. That includes a rocky debut that lasted just 26 1/3 frames in ’21, however. Over the past two seasons, he sports a more encouraging 3.73 mark in 171 1/3 frames. Cabrera has averaged better than 96 mph on his heater, punched out an above-average 26.6% of his opponents and induced grounders at a strong 50.6% clip. Still, fielding-independent metrics are a bit more bearish on him than ERA due to his 13.7% walk rate. In that same 2022-23 window, Cabrera sports a 4.50 FIP and 4.42 SIERA.
If Cabrera can improve his command at all, he has the makings of a clear big league starter. His fastball and changeup give him a pair of above-average to plus offerings, with the change in particular befuddling lefties and thus mitigating typical platoon issues. Southpaws have flailed away at the pitch and produced a hapless .184/.291/.315 batting line in 433 plate appearances against Cabrera. Because his slider hasn’t been as consistently effective, Cabrera has struggled against right-handed opponents. They’ve hit just .231 against him but posted a huge .376 OBP and slugged .422.
Cabrera’s 1.147 years of big league service time put him on track to be arbitration-eligible as a Super Two player next winter. That’d make him arb-eligible four times rather than the standard three, but he’s under club control through the 2028 season regardless.
Beyond their interest in Miami’s starters, the Pirates have seen free agents Domingo German and Noah Syndergaard throw recently, per Mackey. Either figures to be available on a low-cost deal, and it seems entirely feasible that the Pirates could both trade for a pre-arb starter who won’t alter their payroll and still add another low-cost rotation piece on a one-year deal. Other veterans still on the market –beyond top starters Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, who are surely out of Pittsburgh’s price range — include Michael Lorenzen, Hyun Jin Ryu, Mike Clevinger and Eric Lauer.
Pirates Sign Josh Fleming
11:12am: The Pirates have announced the signing of Fleming and also confirmed their previously reported one-year deal with veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal. In order to create roster space, right-hander Johan Oviedo and catcher Endy Rodriguez were both placed on the 60-day injured list. Both are expected to miss the 2024 season after requiring surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in their respective throwing elbows.
8:45am: The Pirates and lefty Josh Fleming are in agreement on a split major league contract, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Republik Sports client will earn $850K if he’s in the big leagues. Pittsburgh will need to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Fleming to make the contract official.
While Fleming’s deal is a split contract, meaning it comes with different rates of pay in the big leagues and in Triple-A, he’s out of minor league options as well. The minor league salary will only come into play in the event that the Pirates remove him from the 40-man roster and pass him through waivers. At that point, Fleming could reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, but doing so would require forfeiting the rates of pay on his deal with the Pirates, and he’d be no lock to secure more favorable terms in free agency. As such, he’d likely accept a minor league assignment if that scenario presents itself.
The 27-year-old Fleming pitched for the Rays in each of the past four seasons, working out of both the bullpen and the starting rotation at times. He also operated as a bulk reliever following an opener in Tampa Bay at times. The southpaw has just 2.144 years of Major League service time and can thus be controlled for another four seasons.
Fleming has, at times, looked like a quality fifth starter or swingman. He pitched 51 2/3 innings with the Rays in 2023 and logged a 4.70 ERA with a career-low 11.8% strikeout rate with an 8.6% walk rate while dealing with elbow inflammation. Back in 2020, he made his MLB debut with 32 1/3 innings of 2.78 ERA ball. Overall, Fleming has 223 1/3 innings in the big leagues with a 4.88 ERA, 14.9% strikeout rate, 7.1% ground-ball rate and a huge 59% grounder rate. The Pirates, per Murray, view him as a long reliever and occasional spot starter.
Although he’s split his time fairly evenly between the bullpen and rotation in the big leagues, Fleming has been far more effective as a reliever (3.73 ERA) than as a starter (6.10 ERA). Right-handed opponents have been a challenge in particular; he’s yielded a .288/.351/.451 slash to opponents who hold the platoon advantage over him.
By the Pirates’ standards, it’s been an active season in free agency. They haven’t handed out any multi-year deals — a common theme throughout Ben Cherington’s time as general manager — but have agreed to one-year pacts with Aroldis Chapman ($10.5MM), Martin Perez ($8MM), Andrew McCutchen ($5MM), Rowdy Tellez ($3.2MM) and Yasmani Grandal ($2.5MM). Pittsburgh also picked up veteran lefty Marco Gonzales in a trade, and he’ll join Perez in filling out the rotation behind Mitch Keller. Pittsburgh has been seeking additional rotation arms, and while Fleming gives them a potential spot starter, he’s unlikely to be penciled in as a full-time rotation member from day one. Further additions to the starting staff, whether via trade or free agency, still seem likely for the Bucs.
Pirates Sign Connor Sadzeck To Minor League Deal
The Pirates announced today that three right-handers have been added to their camp as non-roster invitees, indicating they have signed minor league deals with the club. Two of them, Wily Peralta and Brent Honeywell Jr., were previously reported. The third was for Connor Sadzeck, a client of Frontline.
Sadzeck, 32, spent the 2023 season in the Twins’ organization after signing a minor league deal with that club. He tossed 35 innings over 25 Triple-A appearances, allowing 5.40 earned runs per nine frames. His 24.6% strikeout rate was quite strong but his 15.2% walk rate was untenably high.
That has generally been the recipe with the righty, who features a four-seamer and sinker that each have mid-to-high 90s velocity, as well as a slider in the high 80s and the occasional changeup. But as is often the case for pitchers with that kind of power arsenal, control is an ongoing concern.
He has 36 innings of scattered major league experience, having pitched for the Rangers, Mariners and Brewers dating back to his 2018 debut. He has walked 16.4% of major league hitters he has faced, though the baseball gods have helped him keep them from scoring. He has a 2.75 ERA in that small sample of big league work, thanks in part to a .245 batting average on balls in play and 84.3% strand rate. His larger Triple-A résumé now consists of 166 2/3 innings over four separate campaigns. He has a ERA of 4.00 in that time, striking out 25.6% of batters faced but also giving free passes to 12.1% of them.
For the Pirates, there’s no risk in bringing him into camp to get a close-up look at the stuff, while seeing if he can better harness his arsenal throughout the year. All clubs need depth arms throughout the season and the Bucs may be likelier than some others to reach into their minor leagues. They have David Bednar and Aroldis Chapman set to be the high-leverage arms in their bullpen but things are a bit flimsy beyond that as Ryan Borucki is the only other reliever on the roster with more than two years of service time. Guys like Colin Holderman, Dauri Moreta, Carmen Mlodzinski and José Hernández have some intriguing numbers but are still fairly light on experience.
To add some non-roster depth, the club has signed guys like Peralta, Honeywell and Sadzeck, as well as Ben Heller and Ryder Ryan. If Sadzeck is added to the roster at any point, he is out of options but has just over a year of service time.
Pirates To Sign Yasmani Grandal
The Pirates and catcher Yasmani Grandal are in agreement on a contract, per reporter Francys Romero. Robert Murray of FanSided reported earlier this evening that the sides were in “serious talks” regarding a deal. Per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the deal guarantees Grandal $2.5MM and includes incentives, with MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf noting the contract is a one-year deal.
Grandal, 35, was a first-round pick by the Reds 2010 draft and quickly rose to become a consensus top-50 prospect in the sport ahead of his debut with the Padres back in 2012. Grandal hit an impressive .297/.394/.469 over 60 games during his rookie campaign in San Diego, though he missed much of the following season after being suspended for 50 games due to violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Upon being traded to the Dodgers ahead of the 2015 season, Grandal established himself as one of the league’s premiere two-way catchers as he combined above-average offense with strong defensive metrics.
During a seven-year period from 2015 to 2021, Grandal slashed an impressive .239/.357/.461 while playing for the Dodgers, Brewers, and White Sox. That slash line was good for a 122 wRC+ that was surpassed only by Will Smith and Mitch Garver among catchers during that stretch. Meanwhile, his +56 Defensive Runs Saved ranked fourth in the majors during that time, trailing only Roberto Perez, Austin Hedges, and Buster Posey. Grandal combined that two-way talent with impeccable durability, with only J.T. Realmuto and Yadier Molina appearing in more games behind the plate than Grandal over that seven-year period. In that time frame, Grandal appeared behind the plate in 693 games, or more than two thirds of his club’s regular season contests.
Fantastic as Grandal was during his peak, the veteran began to decline rapidly upon entering his mid-thirties. Over his final two seasons in Chicago, Grandal slashed just .219/.305/.306 with a well-below average wRC+ of 74. While he maintained a solid 10.4% walk rate in that time, his power production cratered as he posted an ISO of just .087, a figure that pales in comparison to the career .211 figure he boasted entering the 2022 campaign. Father time has also been unkind to Grandal’s defensive skills. While Statcast’s Outs Above Average still grades him as a roughly average defender with plus framing metrics, his -16 DRS behind the plate is the fourth-worst figure in the majors over the past two seasons, ahead of only Elias Diaz, MJ Melendez, and Keibert Ruiz.
While Grandal’s decline over the past two seasons has been a steep one, the veteran backstop could still prove to be a valuable addition for a Pittsburgh team in search of a veteran presence behind the plate. The Pirates lost rookie catcher Endy Rodriguez to UCL surgery back in December. The 23-year-old youngster is expected to miss the entirety of the 2024 campaign, leaving backup catcher Jason Delay and catching-prospect-turned-outfielder Henry Davis as the club’s top internal options behind the plate. Delay owns a .233/.293/.311 slash line across 127 games in the majors, while Davis struggled to a .213/.302/.351 slash line during his first 255 trips to the plate in the big leagues last season.
The addition of Grandal figures to give the Pirates the opportunity to offer Davis, who has caught just two innings behind the plate last year and has started only 92 contests at the position throughout his entire professional career, more time to develop defensively behind the plate in the minor leagues should he require it. Alternatively, the club could look to pair Grandal with Davis at the big league level, providing Davis a veteran mentor as he goes through his first big league season as a regular backstop. Such an arrangement could involve the club carrying three catchers on its roster to open the season, though Delay has options remaining and could be utilized as depth at the Triple-A level.
Pittsburgh also signed 27-year-old catcher Ali Sanchez to a big league deal back in December. Sanchez has just seven games of big league experience, but sports a decent .275/.345/.402 slash line for his career at the Triple-A level and has a strong defensive reputation behind the plate. Sanchez is out of options, meaning the club will have to either carry him on their Opening Day roster or expose him to waivers. With Grandal, Davis, Delay, and Sanchez all set to enter camp with at least a shot at a big league role for the Pirates entering the season, the club has successfully addressed its big league caliber catching depth in the wake of Rodriguez’s injury.
Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins
28 out of the 30 clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, with the Padres and Braves the only exceptions. That means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move these days.
Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, as the 60-day injured list comes back when pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, having gone away shortly after the conclusion of the World Series. This year, the Dodgers and Padres will have an earlier reporting date, due to their earlier Opening Day. Most clubs will begin their 2024 campaign on March 28, but those two clubs are playing a pair of games in Seoul on March 20 and 21. The official 60-day IL dates, per Joel Sherman of The New York Post, are February 8 for the Dodgers, February 11 for the Padres and February 14 for every other club. It’s fairly moot for the Padres since they only have 36 players on their 40-man roster right now, but the Dodgers could be moving guys to the IL as soon as today.
It’s worth pointing out that the “60 days” don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until end of May or later. Transferring a player to the 60-day IL also requires a corresponding move, so a club can’t just make the move in isolation.
There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, as well as guys like Michael Lorenzen, Adam Duvall, Brandon Belt and many more. A player like Brandon Woodruff, who is expected to miss significant time and will need an IL spot himself, might be better able to secure a deal once IL spots open up. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together in the next week or so. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment.
Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time and could find themselves transferred soon, sorted by division.
NL West
Diamondbacks: Drey Jameson
Jameson underwent Tommy John surgery in September of last year. He will almost certainly spend the entire 2024 season on the IL.
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Nick Frasso
Kershaw is not officially signed yet, with his physical reportedly taking place today. It doesn’t seem as though it’s a coincidence that today is the first day the club can move players to the IL. He is recovering from shoulder surgery and not expected back until late in the summer. Gonsolin underwent Tommy John surgery in August and may miss the entire campaign. May had surgery in July to repair his flexor tendon as well as a Tommy John revision. He is expected to return at some point midseason. Frasso underwent labrum surgery in November and may miss the entire season.
Giants: Robbie Ray, Alex Cobb
The Giants acquired Ray from the Mariners in a trade last month, knowing full well that he underwent Tommy John surgery and flexor tendon repair in May of last year. He recently said that a return around the All-Star break would be a best-case scenario. Cobb underwent hip surgery in October and isn’t expected back until May at the earliest. His is a more of a borderline case since placing him on the IL would prevent him from returning until late May.
Padres: Tucupita Marcano
Marcano underwent ACL surgery in August of last year while with the Pirates. The Padres claimed him off waivers from the Bucs in November. Recovering from an ACL surgery usually takes about a year or so, meaning Marcano is likely to miss a decent chunk of the upcoming campaign. But as mentioned earlier, the Friars only have 36 players on their 40-man right now, meaning there’s no rush to get Marcano to the IL and open up a roster spot.
Rockies: Germán Márquez, Antonio Senzatela, Lucas Gilbreath
All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery last year. Gilbreath may be the closest to returning, as he went under the knife back in March. Márquez and Senzatela underwent their surgeries in May and July, respectively. General manager Bill Schmidt said recently that the club is hopeful Márquez can be back after the All-Star break but is anticipating Senzatela to miss the whole campaign.
NL Central
Brewers: None.
Cardinals: None.
Cubs: None.
Pirates: JT Brubaker, Mike Burrows, Johan Oviedo, Endy Rodríguez,
Brubaker and Burrows both underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year. It’s possible they could be ready to go early in the upcoming season, as some pitchers return around a year after going under the knife. But most pitchers take 14 months or longer so their respective rehabs may push deeper into the upcoming season. Oviedo also underwent TJS but his was in November, meaning he’ll certainly miss the entire 2024 season. The same goes for Rodríguez, who underwent UCL/flexor tendon surgery in December.
Reds: None.
NL East
Braves: Ian Anderson, Penn Murfee, Ángel Perdomo
Anderson underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year. He was on optional assignment at the time and spent the whole year on the minor league injured list. He could be placed on the major league IL this year if the club needs a roster spot, but they only have 37 guys on the 40-man as of today. Murfee underwent UCL surgery while with the Mariners in June of last year. The Braves signed him to a split deal even though he isn’t likely to be a factor until midseason. Perdomo also got a split deal despite undergoing Tommy John surgery in October of last year, meaning he will miss all of 2024. Since Murfee and Perdomo signed split deals, the club might try to pass them through waivers at some point rather than transferring them to the IL.
Marlins: Sandy Alcántara
Alcántara underwent Tommy John surgery in October and will have to miss the entire 2024 season.
Mets: Ronny Mauricio, David Peterson
Mauricio just suffered a torn ACL in December and will almost certainly miss the entire 2024 season. Peterson underwent hip surgery in November with a recovery timeline of six to seven months, meaning he won’t be able to return until May or June.
Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, Cade Cavalli, Zach Brzykcy
By all accounts, Strasburg will never be able to return to the mound due to nerve damage stemming from his battle with thoracic outlet syndrome. He and the Nats had a deal for him to retire but it reportedly fell apart due to some sort of squabble about his contract. His deal runs through 2026 and he may spend the next three years on the IL unless those retirement talks can be revamped. Cavalli had Tommy John surgery in March of last year, so he could return relatively early in the upcoming campaign. The Nats will probably only move him to the 60-day IL if they don’t think he can return before June. Brzykcy underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year but was added to the club’s roster in November to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft.
Phillies: None.
AL West
Angels: José Quijada
Quijada underwent Tommy John surgery in May of last year and will miss some portion of the 2024 season. He’ll likely wind up on the 60-day IL unless the club expects him back within about a year of going under the knife.
Astros: Kendall Graveman, Luis García, Lance McCullers Jr.
Graveman recently underwent shoulder surgery and is expected to miss the entire 2024 season. García underwent Tommy John surgery in May of last year and will have to at least miss some of the upcoming campaign. Whether he goes on the 60-day IL or not will depend upon how his rehab is progressing. McCullers underwent flexor tendon surgery in June and isn’t expected back until late in the summer.
Athletics: Ken Waldichuk
In December, it was reported that Waldichuk is rehabbing from a flexor strain and UCL sprain. He and the club opted for a non-surgical approach involving a Tenex procedure and PRP injection. As of reporting from this weekend, he still hasn’t begun throwing. His situation will likely be monitored in the spring to see how his rehab proceeds.
Mariners: None.
Rangers: Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle, Carson Coleman
deGrom underwent Tommy John surgery in June of last year and is targeting a return this August. Mahle underwent the same procedure in May and the Rangers signed him to a two-year deal, knowing he likely won’t be able to return until midseason in 2024. Scherzer underwent back surgery in December and won’t be able to return until June or July. Coleman was a Rule 5 selection of the Rangers, taken from the Yankees. He had Tommy John in April of last year and will likely still be rehabbing for the early parts of the upcoming campaign.
AL Central
Guardians: Daniel Espino
Espino underwent shoulder surgery in May of last year with an estimated recovery timeline of 12 to 14 months. He was added to the club’s 40-man roster in November to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft.
Royals: Kris Bubic, Kyle Wright, Josh Taylor
Bubic underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year and will have to miss at least some of the 2024 season. Whether he winds up on the 60-day IL or not will depend if the club thinks he can return before June. Wright underwent shoulder surgery while with Atlanta last year and will miss all of 2024. The Royals acquired him in a trade, hoping for a return to health in 2025 and beyond. Taylor was already on the IL due to a shoulder impingement in June of last year when he required surgery on a herniated disc in his lower back. His current status isn’t publicly known.
Tigers: None.
Twins: Josh Staumont
Staumont underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in July of last year while with the Royals. He was non-tendered by the Royals and then signed by the Twins. His recovery timeline is unclear at the moment.
White Sox: Matt Foster, Davis Martin
Both of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery last year, Foster in April and Martin in May. They could perhaps return early in the season if their rehabs go especially well, but they also might need to continue rehabbing until midseason.
AL East
Blue Jays: None.
Orioles: Félix Bautista
Bautista underwent Tommy John surgery in October of last year and will miss the entire 2024 season.
Rays: Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan, Taylor Walls
Springs underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year. He could be a factor in the early months of the season if his rehab is going well, as some pitchers can return after about a year, but he also may need a bit more time. McClanahan underwent the same procedure but in August and will likely miss the entirety of the upcoming season. Rasmussen was dealing with a flexor strain last year and underwent an internal brace procedure in July, which will keep him out until midseason. Walls underwent hip surgery in October and is more up in the air as there’s a chance he’s ready as soon as Opening Day, depending on how his rehab goes.
Red Sox: None.
Yankees: Jasson Domínguez
Domínguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September of last year. The return for hitters is generally shorter than pitchers, but the Yanks estimated his return timeline as 9-10 months, which will still keep him on the shelf until midseason.
Pirates, Brent Honeywell Agree To Minor League Contract
Righty Brent Honeywell Jr. has agreed to a minor league deal with the Pirates, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (on X). He’ll get a non-roster invitation to big league camp and will be paid at a $1.25MM rate if he cracks the MLB roster.
A former top prospect with the Rays, Honeywell logged his first extended MLB action at age 28 last season. He inked a major league contract with the Padres over the offseason. Honeywell broke camp with San Diego and held a roster spot until the trade deadline. He logged 46 2/3 innings through 36 appearances, working to a 4.05 ERA. That came with a modest 20.6% strikeout rate and an unspectacular 9.8% walk percentage.
San Diego’s deadline pickups squeezed Honeywell off the 40-man roster. The Friars lost him via waivers to the White Sox. He pitched four times with Chicago, was tagged for seven runs in 5 2/3 innings, and was cut loose. Honeywell cleared waivers after his second designation and finished the year in Triple-A. He chose minor league free agency at season’s end.
A horrible series of injuries — a 2018 Tommy John procedure, ’19 elbow fracture, 2020 nerve decompression surgery and another elbow fracture in 2022 — sidetracked Honeywell in his climb through the minors. While he didn’t turn in great results as a rookie, there’s surely some relief that he made it through the ’23 campaign without any trips to the injured list. He’ll try to crack the middle relief group in Pittsburgh to establish himself at the MLB level.
The Bucs have David Bednar, Aroldis Chapman, Colin Holderman, Ryan Borucki, Carmen Mlodzinski, Dauri Moreta and the out-of-options Roansy Contreras as strong bets to open the season in the bullpen. There might not be a ton of room in the season-opening group, but the Bucs will want to build their minor league depth. Ben Heller, Hunter Stratton and swingman Wily Peralta are also in camp as non-roster invitees. Honeywell is out of options, meaning the Pirates would have to keep him in the majors or DFA him if he earns a big league look at any point.
Mariners Claim Canaan Smith-Njigba, Designate Darren McCaughan
The Mariners announced Wednesday that they’ve claimed outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba off waivers from the Pirates. Right-hander Darren McCaughan was designated for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster. At least for the time being Smith-Njigba will head to the same city as his younger brother, Jaxon — a wide receiver for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.
Now 24 years old, Smith-Njigba was one of four players the Yankees traded to Pittsburgh in the trade that brought righty Jameson Taillon to the Bronx. He’s posted nice minor league numbers but seen minimal time in the big leagues. Through 44 MLB plate appearances, Smith-Njigba is a .135/.250/.243 hitter, but he’s posted a .273/.366/.439 slash in parts of three Triple-A campaigns. That includes a 2023 season that saw him slash .280/.366/.473 (110 wRC+) with 15 homers, 28 doubles, a triple and a 21-for-26 showing in stolen base attempts. Smith-Njigba also walked at a strong 11.9% clip with Indy this past season, but his 26.5% strikeout rate could stand to improve.
Smith-Njigba has drawn praise for above-average raw power and speed in the past, though that raw power hasn’t translated to much in the way of home runs. Last year’s 15 round-trippers were a career-high, and he’s only reached double digits in homers in one other season. Smith-Njigba’s strong walk rates and left-handed bat will help the Mariners to replace some of the outfield depth they lost when trading Zach DeLoach to the White Sox and Jarred Kelenic to the Braves. He has a minor league option remaining and has hit reasonably well at virtually every minor league level, evidenced by a career .277/.382/.429 slash in six professional seasons.
McCaughan, 28 next month, has spent his entire career in the Mariners organization since being taken in the 12th round of the 2017 draft. He’s twice received a call to the big leagues but has just 14 MLB frames under his belt, during which he’s been slammed for 11 earned runs. The right-hander posted respectable Triple-A numbers in a hitter-friendly league environment during the 2021-22 seasons but was roughed up for a 5.83 ERA in 139 Triple-A frames in 2023. Overall, he carries a career 5.22 ERA in parts of five seasons with the Mariners’ Tacoma affiliate, though his aforementioned ’21 (4.46 ERA, 121 innings) and ’22 (4.55 ERA, 154 innings) performances were a far sight better.
The Mariners will have a week to trade McCaughan or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. He still has a minor league option remaining. If he goes unclaimed, he’ll have the right to reject an outright assignment by virtue of a previous outright earlier in his career, but his longstanding tenure in the Mariners organization could make him likelier to accept if things reach that point.
